Old habits die hard, X5’s die harder.
by Katana2
Summary: Post AJBAC. Logan fears that Charlie and Case are in danger and sends Krit and Syl to relocate them and tell them what’s happened.


Old habits die hard,

Title: Old habits die hard, X5's die harder.

Author: Katana ([rose_tat@hotmail.com][1])

Spoilers: AJBAC

Summery: Logan fears that Charlie and Case are in danger and sends Krit and Syl to relocate them and tell them what's happened.

Rating: G.

Disclaimer: I don't own them and I'm not making money out of them.

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Old habits die hard. Syl and Krit walked in perfect unison as they approached the school. No words had passed between them in the last hour. The mission was simple, clear, neither wanted to focus on the emotional side of it. It was still too raw. How easy to hide behind the old soldier facade of their childhood. They had a target, an objective, they had a plan. So much easier to pretend nothing touched them. The Manticore masks were firmly in place. Old habits die hard. Sometimes that's a good thing.

A quick hand signal and they increased their pace slightly. Syl was the one to make the almost undetectable gesture. Just like back in the bad old days. Syl had always outranked Krit. They were a good team though. Always had been. Just like Zack and Max. Like Eva and Ben. Like Zane and Tinga. Like Jack and Jondy... Funny how they'd all fallen into contrasting pairs. And male/female ones at that. Almost as if trying to find the perfect balance. Male and female. Dark and light. Indifferent and inquisitive. They were always good at balancing each other out. But each time one fell, each time one was taken away from the whole, the dynamic was thrown. The balanced shifted. Even worse, more males fell than females. Zack and Max were the alpha pair, the ones that kept it all together, when Max was threatened something snapped in all of them. Max had always out ranked both of them.

Max was gone now. Back at Manticore or dead. Zack was gone too. If either of the Alpha pair were savable they would be saved. It wasn't even a matter of question. The more things change the more you see what doesn't. Maybe they were part wolf? They'd always behaved like a pack. Logan was already doing everything he could think of to track down the others. Logan. Strange how easily they'd accepted him. But then more males would help restore the balance. Even though he wasn't actually an X5. And anyway Max trusted him. That was enough, even for Zack. Zack even listened to Lydecker when Max told him to. Maybe that was why he'd kept her out of the loop? Because they'd all follow her if she went against him. And she *had* gone against him.

They'd re-group and launch another attack. How could they not? After all it was Max, and Zack. But back to the mission at hand.

A block later and they were just behind their objective. Their mission, to inform and relocate Tinga's family. Charlie and Case. They approached it as soldiers because it was the only way they knew of keeping it together. Time was the main enemy here. Two more stride and they were beside them, on Charlie's left. Charlie sent them a sideways look but neither acknowledged him. Eye's front, no emotion, no reaction, no sign of weakness. Charlie pulled his son closer. Tinga hadn't gone for a soldier. Who could blame her? Five more steps and Krit spoke.

"Charlie, your position may have been compromised. Go home and pack light, one bag each. Be at the park three blocks north of your apartment building within the hour. Make sure you've both eaten." Krit instructed. He never paused. Never looked at the man he was addressing. If he did that he'd probably break down. Emotions are a weakness. He didn't have time to be weak just now. He kept his eyes front and his voice crisp. The perfect solder. How ironic. Lydecker would be proud. Maybe Krit would break Lydecker's jaw when they got back just for the heck of it? Syl wouldn't approve. Maybe he'd let Logan watch? Logan would like that. Shouldn't take much for Lydecker to give him the perfect excuse.

Three more steps and the stunned father and child were behind them. A block later Syl and Krit split up, Krit to double back and make sure Charlie and Case weren't followed, Syl to make sure the park was safe. No words were exchanged. Old habits die hard. Sometimes that's a bad thing. Fifty-seven minutes later Charlie and Case entered the park. Thirteen steps and Syl was beside them.

"You're early, good. Case, go play on the swings for a few minutes." Syl said briskly. Charlie sent her a questioning look. "Or would you rather draw attention to us Charlie?" Syl had never been very patient. She was as blunt as Krit was sharp. As hard as he was compassionate. Yin and Yang. Syl was 'Zack' to Krit's 'Max'. Krit grimaced from his position but did not approach yet. No need to make Charlie more uneasy by letting him know he'd been followed.

"Go play Case, but stay in sight huh?" Charlie said gently as he touched Case's shoulder. Krit wanted to smile at the open show of affection and protectiveness. Wanting is one thing. Doing is another. Old habits die hard.

"You're one of Mommy's sisters, aren't you?" Case asked Syl.

This time the wanting won. Krit smiled slightly and approached. "Yes." He replied as he came up behind them. "She is. Case, that's your aunt Syl.. Sylvia." Something made him use the full name. Maybe it was because he knew Syl hated it? "And I'm your uncle Krit." He looked Syl in the eye as he finished speaking. Oh yeah, he was going to pay for that later.

"Have you come to take us to Mommy?"

Syl's eyes closed briefly. "Not exactly baby. Logan sent us to make sure you're safe." She said in a gentler voice. Case nodded and headed towards the swings.

Just as Syl's guard had dropped for a second at the mention of Tinga, Krit's had sprung back up. The smile slipping from his face to be replaced by an expressionless mask. Polar opposites. Like two ends of a magnet.

Charlie watched his son walk off before turning to face Syl and Krit. "What happened?" The sadness in his eyes showed that he was already guessing the worst.

Syl snapped back into solder mode. "Max and Zack went in to get Ting - Penny. But they were too late. Zack was shoot but evaded capture. Max was captured by Lydecker." She stated in an emotionless voice.

"That's when Zack called Syl and me in." Krit continued in a more compassionate tone. "To get Max back. But Manticore had turned on Lydecker, he'd gone rouge. Max was able to switch from being captive to captor. We launched an attack, with Lydecker's help, blew up the DNA lab, but not without loss. Zack has been recaptured, Max is captured, believed dead. But if she's not dead she may be tortured into compromising your position. The fact is that she will be tortured, the only question is how much of her training she remembers." The very words made Krit want to be sick. He was definitely going to crack Lydecker's jaw when they got back to home base.

There was silence for a minute as Charlie tried to take in what they had said. "When you say it was to late you mean..?"

"Yes, I'm sorry." Syl whispered.

Krit looked away, focused on Case as he played on the swings. After a moment he met Syl's eyes and she gave a slight nod. It was time to move out. He would grieve later, for the others, for himself. For now he played the role he knew best, that of the soldier. Old habits die hard, X5's die harder.

~FIN~ (Should I write a sequel?)

   [1]: mailto:rose_tat@hotmail.com



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